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Love Language (Teddy Pendergrass album)

Love Language is the eighth album by R&B/soul singer Teddy Pendergrass. It was his first record for Asylum Records after being a longtime artist on Philadelphia International Records. It did much better on the Billboard 200 than his last two records, peaking at number 38. He had not reached the top 40 on the album charts since 1981's It's Time for Love. The album was composed and produced by Michael Masser, with the exception of the track You're My Choice Tonight (Choose Me) (#15 R&B chart, November 3, 1984), which was produced by Luther Vandross and featured Cissy Houston on background vocals and as "Solo Female Voice".

For the Angie Stone album, see Love Language (Angie Stone album).

Love Language

May 29, 1984

1983–1984

35:06

Hold Me (#46 Hot 100, July 28, 1984; #6 Adult Contemporary Chart) written by Masser and Linda Creed was a duet with Whitney Houston (it later turned up on Houston's debut album). As a result of having recorded this duet in 1984, Houston was disqualified from consideration as Grammy Best New Artist of 1985.[2] Despite this, it helped the album earn a gold award from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of 500,000 copies in September 1984, Pendergrass' first gold album since It's Time for Love was certified in December 1981.[3]


The track "In My Time" reached number 11 on the South African charts, spending seven weeks in the top 20.[4]


Songs from the album were used on the soundtrack to Alan Rudolph's 1984 film Choose Me. In her review of the film, critic Pauline Kael stated: "The songs are performed by Teddy Pendergrass and he's just right. The entire movie has a lilting, loose, choreographic flow to it."[5] Also in 1984, the Love Language song, "Stay with Me", was included in Miami Vice's season 1 episode, "No Exit" (episode 8).[6]

Tracks 1–5, 7 and 8 arranged and produced by Michael Masser for Prince Street Productions, Inc.

Track 6 arranged and produced by Luther Vandross for Vandross Ltd.

Strings and horns arranged by

Gene Page

Recording engineers: Michael Mancini, Dean Burt, Guy Charbonneau, Cliff Bonnell

Mixed by Guy Charbonneau

Remix by

Bill Schnee

Mastering engineer:

Doug Sax

Drums: Carlos Vega

Bass:

Nathan East

Keyboards: , Michael Masser, Ray Parker Jr. (also played guitars on "Hot Love")

Randy Kerber

Guitars:

Paul Jackson Jr.

Rhythm arrangements:

Marcus Miller

Strings and horns arranged by

Nat Adderley Jr.

Recording engineers: Ray Bardani, , Doug Epstein, Michael Brauer, Guy Charbonneau

Michael Barbiero

Drums:

Yogi Horton

Percussion: Steve Kroon, Errol "Crusher" Bennett

Bass/Synthesizer: Marcus Miller

Keyboards: Nat Adderley Jr.

Guitars:

Doc Powell

Background vocals:

Cissy Houston